2001:1134 - CALTRAGH, Sligo

This fulacht fiadh was identified in summer 2000 during a field survey carried out in the townland of Caltragh. It was to be disturbed by the proposed Sligo Inner Relief Road. Testing was carried out on the site in autumn 2000 (Excavations 2000, No. 875). The full excavation of this monument started on 8 January 2001 and was completed at the end of May 2001. This fulacht fiadh, which was obvious from ground level, was not recorded in the Record of Monuments and Places for County Sligo.

Several features of modern date, such as agricultural furrows, appeared to be cutting the burnt mound of the fulacht fiadh. A large modern linear cut, visible from ground level as a depression (which gave the fulacht fiadh a horseshoe shape before the excavation), also truncated the mound in a north–south direction.

The burnt mound had an overall length of 15.4m north–south by 11.8m, with a maximum thickness of 1.2m. It was oval in plan, with a slight indentation to the south. The disturbance caused by the modern cut may have altered the morphology of the upper portion of the mound, which was made up of several layers of burnt material, consisting of burnt stones, charcoal, ash, sand and occasional intact stones. The burnt mound seemed to have been organised and well maintained. It did not spread out unduly and the edges were quite sharp, indicating that some effort was made to build a reasonably neat, confined site. Three main phases of build-up were identified. No trace of a trough or a specific hearth was found.

During testing in the same field and the surrounding fields in November 2000, it was noted that stone structures of potential archaeological interest were present. Several large stones were found to protrude through the ground surface. Probing, in combination with testing, showed that one of the walls ran under the mound of the fulacht fiadh. This prehistoric drystone wall was constructed on top of the natural boulder clay and the probable Neolithic ground level and was sealed by the peat. It was found to run across the western part of the field, from the southern boundary, under the fulacht fiadh and to a point 12m north-west of the site. Together with a second wall (see Nos 1136–7, Excavations 2001, C.1008, 01E0395) this structure formed a semicircular enclosure that seemed to enclose the marshy area to the west. In this site it ran from the south-eastern area (Trench 15), curving through Trenches 14, 4, 2, 1, 11 and 10 towards the north-western part. The wall was comprised of small to very large stones and boulders of various types, including limestone, gneiss, shale, mudstone, sandstone and granite. The larger stones had an average diameter of 0.6m. It was noted that many smaller stones seemed to have been removed from the wall in the vicinity of the fulacht fiadh. The wall was uncovered in a state of partial collapse. The feature had an overall width of 2–3.5m. A definite line of undisturbed stones was noted under the fulacht fiadh; this undisturbed line had a width of 0.8–1m and it is probable that this represents the original width of the wall. The wall had an average height of 0.6m upon excavation but the original height has been estimated at 0.8–1m. It protruded 0.25–0.4m above the level of the peat. This portion of the wall would have been exposed during the initial stages of the use of the fulacht fiadh.

A rough stone surface was excavated in Trenches 8–10. It ran parallel to the wall in a north-north-west direction, following the inner curve of the wall. It consisted of small and medium-sized rounded, subangular and angular stones of various types (similar to those of the wall). They were compacted into the possible Neolithic ground surface. It was very irregular in width and was quite disturbed by a modern cut.

The fulacht fiadh was one of several uncovered in the same townland. Three were found to overlie prehistoric drystone walls.

A charcoal sample was extracted from near the base of the fulacht fiadh. A conventional radiocarbon date of 3315 ± 50 was obtained.

Horge House, Camp, Co. Kerry